Chemical structure and conformation of a polymer are among the many factors that influence the type of coating required for a particular application. However, the commercial availability of many useful polymers often limits the applications. For example, for a long time polysilazanes have been synthesized and characterized, which acknowledges that such a polymer could be useful in a variety of applications. Currently, however, few products have been developed into a marketable commodity due to the extensive and costly synthesis needed to form the base resin products. In addition, the previous process had toxicity issues, for example, the formation of toxic ammonium salts and hydrochloric acid, which limits the availability of finished, user-friendly products.
An improved silicon-based coating is needed for use in a wide range of applications. Such coatings would be moisture and air curable at ambient temperature conditions without requiring an added catalyst or activator for rapid curing, or can be cured at elevated temperatures to increase the glass transition (Tg) properties of the finished product by enhancing the degree of crosslinking. Other advantageous characteristics of an improved silicon-based coating include being thin but durable, protective and heat-stable, displaying excellent hardness (for example, having a hardness of 5H or above), remaining intact even when the substrate is deformed. In addition, coatings that are customizable in terms of coating color, appearance, transparency, feel, and glossiness are desirable. Further, coatings being UV resistant, microbial releasable, easy to clean and maintain, and corrosion resistant are also in great need for their wide range of uses.
Another common problem in applying silicon-based coating relates to mold release coatings. Currently, many mold release problems are associated with a mold or surfaces of a molded part. For example, when the mold does not allow for a complete release, the removal of the molded part is much more difficult, such that mold or part surface will likely be damaged. Although one can use a release agent to facilitate the mold release, the release agent can result in resin build-up which causes physical tolerance alteration to the fabricated parts, and/or poor cosmetic appearance of the parts. Release agent build-up also creates an interrelated physical roughness and chemical reactivity of mold cavity surfaces. The friction of the rough surface then causes resin to continue to attach and stick to the cavities, crevices, pits or pores of the surfaces of the mold and the molded part. As a result, scrapping and/or sanding are subsequently required which lead to more and larger scratches, cavities or pitting on the mold surface that increase coefficient of friction. The increased coefficient of friction negatively affects the release of the molded part from the mold, the physical tolerance and appearance of the finished part, and the transferring of the release agent to the finished part. Additionally, the transfer of substances in the mold release coating to the surfaces of molded part is also a profound problem, which surface contamination creates problems of adhesion for applying primers and finish coats to the molded part.
Therefore, given the limitations of the prior art, it is desirable to have a coating composition that has superior release properties, such that the resultant coating has improved physical and chemical resistant properties and results in an easy- and simple-to-apply coating product possessing a number of desirable properties, including, but not limited to, 100% non-transferable, extended coverage, ultrathin, low odor, recoat-able, high heat and temperature resistant, applicable to higher temperature cures, for example, 1400° F. or higher, which constitute superior mold release characteristics than the current release products. Such coating provides an ultrathin barrier that prevents release agents, resins, substances, or other coatings from securing themselves to the molded part surface, crevices, indentations and/or micro-pores, and prevents surface contamination that may interfere with bonding between coatings, adhesives or the like and the surface of a finished part.